Building a Creative Process: Lessons from Future M

A couple weeks ago I attended the Future M conference in  Boston - here are some of the highlights and my key takeaways. 

One of the standout sessions was Where Marketing's Next Best Ideas Will Come From, by Chris Penn, VP of Shift Communications. It was a bit of a bait & switch - there's obviously no book/website/listserv/crystal ball you should be consulting every time you need a creative boost. Instead, Chris went through his thoughts on how to foster and discover your own creative process.

Step 1: Prepare by reading & learning.  You can't create without consuming. In fact...

Step 2: Now that you're up to speed, it's time to look at your problem/industry/brand in different ways in order to spark some insight. We created an easy crib sheet to refer to the next time you're hitting the wall:

By getting outside of your bubble in one of those ways (or create your own boundary breaker!), you start to see things in a new light.

And finally, step 3, after you've generated some ideas/insights: Incubation. Take a break and do something non-verbal. Go for a run. Take a shower. Cook dinner. Allow things to marinate and give your brain the space to make new connections.

So, let's say you go through all of that, and you end up with...bupkis. It happens more often than we'd like! So it's time to go back to your process. However,  you might not have to throw the baby out with the bathwater - try to identify the biggest problem with your output, and refer back to the appropriate step to fine-tune:And repeat. And repeat. Add coffee. And repeat!

Of course, there isn't a fool-proof method to generating amazing insights that will transform marketing - but the biggest takeaway from the presentation is that everyone has creative abilities. These steps are one way to try and foster that ability, and (hopefully) more productive than banging your head against a wall. Everyone's process will be slightly different, so make sure to analyze as you go - what works for you, and what doesn't? There may always be an element of serendipity, but there's probably some order and pattern in the mix as well.

Good luck!